Condensing apparatus.



M. LEBLANC.

CONDENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT. 15, 1909.

LMQQWQO 1031161111161 11i-@18,1915

NVENOR narran stares yaarnaar ortica.

MAURICE LEBLANC, OF GROISSY, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T0 LA SQCIEQIE AONYME POUR LEXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES W'ESTINGHOUvSE-LEBLANQ, IOF PARIS, FRANCE. Y

' ooNDiiNsiNe APPARATUS.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be itv known that I, MAURICE LEBLANC, a

citizen of the Republic of France, and a resi- In steam engines as now constructed andr especially in those ofthe turbine type very l little dili'culty is encountered in preventing the entrance of air into the internal parts of the engine especially so when the exhaust mains leading from the engine to the con-A denser ai'e short and the joints therein have been made with due care. In such cases it is found that only a small quantity of air Will iind its way into the condenser. of an injection condenser, however, the condensingv Water continually conveys air, which has been dissolved therein when subjected to atmospheric conditions, into the condenser and this air becomes separated therefrom when the Water passes into ythe vacuum chamber of the condenser.v In order to obtain a high degree of vacuum in the condenser, it is necessary to extract from the condenser this comparatively large volume of airfthe amount of which is dependent uponvthe ouantity of water introduced into the condenser.

It is of importance in all cases to reduce` the volume of air to be extracted from the condenser and this result can be obtained by means of the improved air separator forming the subject mattei' of the present invention, the principal feature of which is the removal from the condensing water of the greater portion of the air which it has dissolved before the Water passes into the i condenser.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in sectional elevation illustrating one form of the improved air separator. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the invention as applied to a condenser. F ig. .3 is a view in sectional elevation showing the present invention as applied to a condenser of the parallel How type.

applied to a condenser of the counter-How type.

If, instead of introducing the condensing water directly into the condenser it is. iirst passed in a `finely divided state through an intermediate chamber,

in which, for examv Specification of Letters Patent.

In the case' Fig. -1 is a similar view as.

Fatented May 318, 1915.

Application led September 15, 1909. Serial No. 517,844.

ple, a pressure of one fifth of an atmosphere is maintained, four fifths of the air which the Water dissolved When exposed to atmospheric conditions Will` be separated fromthe Water in the said intermediate chamber, consequently when thev water passes into the condenser it will only introduce a iiftli of the amount of air which it would have introduced if it had ioWed directly into the condenser.

In the apparatus shown in Fig. l, the intermediate chamber of the present invention is shown as constituted bv a cylindrical tube l arranged in thev interior of a cylindrical outercasing 2, the tube l being open at its lower extremity and arranged concentrically with the outer casing 2. The annular space between the tubel and the Wall of the casing 2 is closed at one end by a flange carrying the tube 1, Which is open at both ends. The casing 2 is provided With a nozzle 3 situated in its upper portion adapted to deliver the condensing Water into the intermediate chamber in a finely divided state. An' outlet et is provided located above the said chamber leading to an air pump adapted to extract the air separated in the chamber and so arranged as to maintain a constant pressure therein.'

Adjacent to the flange of the tube 1 and on the under side thereof is an outlet 5 communicating with the condenser and adapted to supply the cooling Water thereto as will be hereinafter explained. If a pressure of one-fifth of an atmosphere is maintained in the intermediate chamber, 'the Water Which Will flow into this chamber through the nozzle 3 in a finely divided state will become separated from four-fifthsv of the air which it has dissolved, provided that the Water is retained in the chamber-for a suiiicient length of time.. In order that this result may be effected, it may be advisable, under some circumstances, to provide baffling plates in the interior of the chamber so as ,to prevent the Water from passing from the nozzle 3 into the outlet pipe 5 in too short a space of time. The liquid separated from the air rwill accumulate 'at .the bottom of the`casing 2 until the pressure in the tube l is sufficiently greater than the pressure in the'con* denser to cause it to ri-se in the annular space between the tube l andthewall 'of the casing 2 to the level of the outlet pipe and passed into condenser j by meansl when it will ow into the condenser. The

air which is released in the 'intermediate' of the condenser; In order, however, tol

produce a high vacuum in thecondenser it will be necessary to remove the small quantity of air whichstill flows into the condenser with the condensing water by means of a special pump. Although the` entire volume of air tobe extracted from the condenser and also from the air separating chamber would -be less than that which a single pump exhausting directly from the condenser would 4have to extract, it would not, under some circumstances, to employ two separate pumps. casesl the airis extracted vfrom the condenser the-'intermediate chamber from which 'it is subsequently withdrawn by means of thev air pump. The volume of air to be extracted from the condenser is, as before explained, 'small and the compression which this air must be subjected Vto in passingv into the Vintermediate chamber.- is materially less than would be. the case if the air were discharged direct-ly into the atmosphere, consequently the extractive power of the pump may be materially reduced.y

If it is `assumed that the pressure maintained inthe intermediate chamber is onefifth of an atmosphere, that is to say cor.- responding to a head of 2 meters of water, the condensing water will possess available energy when, it arrives in the chamber and according to 'this invention this available Aenergy is utilized to extract the air from the condenser and force it into the intermediate chamber. For this purpose a `nozzle 6 is arranged above the -tube 1 as shown in Fig. 2, the water arriving by the nozzle 3 operates as an ejector in passing through the nozzle 6 and withdraws the airl from the of passage 7 leading thereto. The cross-sectional area ofnozzles 3 and 6 must be such that the water entering nozzle 6 from nozzle 3 will completely -fill or chole nozzle 6 in order that a higher pressure may be below the inlet to nozzle 6 than in the chamber above the same. The velocity of the water leaving nozzle 3 and enter y ing nozzle 6 mustbe such as to entrain and carry the air from inlet 7 through nozzle 6 to the zone of higher pressure. The air which is thus withdrawn from the condenser is forced into the intermediate chamber from which it is subsequently withdrawn by means' of the air pump connected to the outlet 4,

Awith that introduced with the water. lapplying the air separator toalcondenser l v be advisable In such hausted from the chamber by means Y air pump -inv the form of al simpley steam drawn directly to together with the air which is l separated pendent of the'amount of air or steam admitted to the condenser,

be greater owing'to the smaller quantity of air introducedwith the steampas compared where the amount of air introduced with steam is practically m'l, it has been found from experiment duce the pressure to that corresponding to- 22V millimeters of mercury whenthe condensing water enters the condenser yat a temperature o C. the pressure maintained in the intermesure in the chamber constant,

ejector adapted to force lthe air thus withthe atmosphere as `shown for example in Figs. 3 and 4. The steam employed with this ejector may be utilized` to heat the feed water Aof the boiler.V l In the arrangement shown in'Figs. 3 and 4, the air is extracted from the intermediatechamber by means of a steam ejector 8, but' f 12 C.y and is discharged at a'temperature of 24" y p but is of .course particularly adapted for use with injection condensers, as7 in vthis case its eflicfiency will that it is 'possible to reexisting in the condenser it will be understood that the ejector may be replaced byl an air pump of any suitable v l type, such for instance, pump of the Westinghouse-Leblanc"type, as set forth in Patent No. 984,278, dated February 14, 1911 and in` some cases it will be advisable to employ an air pump instead of an ejector, particularly in cases where the amount of air admitted to the condenser with the steam is greater than the amount' of air admitted with the con-'v densing w ater.

as` a water-jet -air-A Y In the ,parallel .flow type of condenser 'y illustratedvin Fig. 3, the steam isadmitted into the condenser at 9, the condensing water c passing intothe condenser through van anand being removed nular water nozzle 10, by means of a centrifugal pump 11 in the well known manner. In this case the air is exhausted from the condenser by means of a small pipe 12 indicated in dotted lines leading to the pipe connection 7 of the air separator. f

In the condenser illustrated in Fig. 4 the steam is admitted at 9, the condensing water issuing from the inlet 5 passes in cascadeto the annular channel 10, thence to the lower portion of the` condenser from which it is" subsequently discharged by means of th Macaw not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of the parts herein described and illustrated and various modifications may be made in the construction without exceeding` the scope of the invention.

1. The combination with a condenser, of a chamber for the reception of the condensing liquid, an inlet into said chamber adapted to admit the condensing liquid thereto in a finely divided state, an outlet for the cony densing liquid leading from said 'chamber to the condenser, and means for extracting they air separated from the liquid in said chamber.

2. The combination with a condenser, of

a chamberV for the reception of the condens-- ing liquid, an inlet into said chamber adapt-- ed to admit the condensing liquid thereto in a finely divided state, an outlet for the condensing liquid leading to the condenser, a

connection between the condenser and said chamber and means for extracting. the air from said chamber and from the condenser'.

3. The combination with a condenser, of a chamber for the reception of the condensing liquid, an inlet into said chamber adapted to admit the condensing liquid thereto in la finely divided state, an outlet for the condensing liquid leading to the condenser, a connection leading from the condenser to said chamber, and means actuated by the condensing waterl" admitted to said chamber for effecting the removal of the air from the condenser.

4. The combination with a condenser, of a chamber for the reception of the condensing liquid, an air extractor connected to said chamber, a connection between said 'chamber and the condenser, means actuated by the condensing liquid passing into said chamber for withdrawing the air from the condenser and forcing .the same into said chamber, an outlet leadingfrom said chamber, and means dependent upon the difference of pressure in the chamber and that in the condenser for effecting the passage of the condensing liquid through said outlet into the condenser.

5. The combination with a condenser, of a chamber maintained at a pressure less than atmosperic pressure, an inlet into said chamber for admitting the condensing liquid in a finely divided'state. an outlet from said chamber leading to the vacuum chamber of the condenser, and means dependent upon the difference of pressure between the pressure in the chamber and that in the condenser for raising the condensing liquid above the level of the liquid in said chamber.

6. The combination with an injection con-- denser, of a chamber maintained at a pressure higher than that existing in the condenser, a connection between said chamber and the vacuum chamber of the condenser, an outlet from said chamber leading to the condensing water inlet of the condenser,an j

air extractor connected to said chamber, a nozzle for admitting the condensing liquid to said chamber, and a concentrically arranged ejector cone located in said chamber, operating in conjunction with the liquid admitted to saidchamber to withdraw the air from the condenser;

7. rIhe combination with a condenser, of a, chambermaintained at a pressure higher than that existing in the condenser, a connection between said chamber and the vacuum chamber of the condenser, an outlet from said chamber leading to the condensing water inlet of the condenser, an air extractor connected to said chamber, a nozzle for admitting the condensing water to said chamber, a concentrically arranged ejector cone located in the upper portion of said chamber and arranged vertically below said nozzle,

operating in conjunction with the condenser a water admitted to said chamber to withdraw the air from the condenser and force the same into said chamber.

v8. The combination with a condenser, of a chamber open at its lower extremity, a concentrically arranged outer casing' surrounding the lower portion of said chamber forming an annular space between the wall of said chamber and the inner wall of said casing, an outlet in the wall of said casing leading to the condensing water inlet of the condenser, an outletin said chamber leading to an air extractor, a connection between said chamber and the vacuum chamber of the condenser, an ejector cone attached to the wall of the chamber between the connection leading to the Vacuum chamber of the condenser and the outlet leading to the air extractor, and a water nozzle for admitting the condensing water arranged vertically above said ejector cone.

9. Steam condensing apparatus comprising a condensing vessel, a separating vessel, a water chamber connected between the comdensing vessel and the separating vessel, and means for causing the cooling water supply to draw air and incondensable vapors from the condensing vessel and convey the same to the separating vessel, said means including a pipe or passage arranged to become choked by water passing from the condensing vessel to the separating vessel.

10. Steam condensing apparatus comprising a condensing vessel. a separating vessel` a water chamber connected between the condensing vessel and the separating vessel, a

A suction pipe leading from the condensing vessel yto the separating vessel, and a cold water supply forming with said suction pipe an aspirator whereby the 'cooling water supply draws theair and incondensable vapors from the condensing vessel, said suction pipe being arranged ,to become choked by water passing therethrough, and to automatically relieve itselfhof said Water at a point above cold water supply.

11. 'Steam condensing apparatus comprising a condensing'vessel, a separating vessel, a suction pipe arranged to become choked by water passing from thel condensing vessel to the separating vessel, vacuum producing means connected to said separating Vessel, a cooling water inlet to the separating Vessel, and connections from the latter to the condensing vessel. f

12. Steam condensing apparatus comprising a condensing-vessel, a separating vessel, a suction pipe leading from the condensing vessel to the separating vessel, vacuum producing means connected to the separating vessel, and cooling water connections so arranged that the'vacuum producing means maintains av suilicient head to cause ing water to enter the condensing vessel under alll operating conditions of vacuum therein'. i

13. In combination with a condenser provided with a vacuum chamber for theA reception of the fluid tobe condensed, a preliminary chamber, means for causing a flow of cooling water for `thecondenser downwardly through said preliminary chamber, a water connection between said preliminary chamber and said condensing chamber constructed so as to form a double-legged water seal between said chambers, and separate air exhausting means connected to `liiiiinary chamber, Vof cooling water adapted to degree of vacuum in subscribedl my naine this bers and adapted to maintain a grec of vacuum in the condensing chamber than in the preliminary chamber.

14. In combination with a condenser provided with a vacuum-chamber for thefreception of the fluid to l means for causing-a flow wardly through said preliminary'chamber, a

be' condensed, a prefori/the condenser down-` water connection between saidjpreliminarychamber and said condensing chamber constructed so as to form a Water'v seal between said chambers, and separate air exhausting.

means connected to thesaid chambers and maintain a vacuum in the condensing chamber than in the preliminary chamber. v-

i higher' vdegree of'V 15. Condensing apparatus, comprising a i' main condensing chamber', a chamber for` the coolingwater, exhausting means connected to chambers and adapted to maintain a higher the main 'than in the preliminary preliminary chamber, cooling water to fall by gravity through the preliminary chamber,- and a water passage connecting the water sealing vseparate air the :said

means for causingthe` 'two chambersl and having legs which lmaintain 'a con'- stant water seal under-'vari ations which may-v occur'in the degreesof vacuum in the two i chambers: substantially 4as described.

` In testimony whereof, I have hereunto Witnesses:

ETIENNE SOULE, P. LEBLANC.

thirtieth vday of 

